South Korean shares end higher after volatile trading on Mideast uncertainty

LG Energy Solution

24/03/2026 07:01

KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

Korean won weakens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

For the midday report, please click nL1N40C01S

SEOUL, March 24 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares closed more than 2% higher on Tuesday, after volatile trading amid heightened uncertainty over the Middle East conflict.

** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 148.17 points, or 2.74%, at 5,553.92.

** The index opened the session higher, tracking Wall Street's overnight gains, before turning briefly lower during the session.

** Tehran on Monday denied engaging in talks with Washington, after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed a threat to bomb Iran's power grid, citing what he called productive discussions with unnamed Iranian officials.

** "It suggests that Trump is considering the financial market factor. Still, the geopolitical conflict has not been resolved completely," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.

** South Korea will prepare an extra budget by month-end to support sectors hit by high oil prices during the Middle East war, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said.

** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 1.83%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 5.68%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 10.25%.

** Of the total 923 traded issues, 707 shares advanced, while 192 declined.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 2 trillion won ($1.34 billion).

** The won was quoted at 1,495.2 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.57% lower than its previous close at 1,486.7.

** The won cut losses after Reuters reported that South Korea's state-run pension fund was conducting strategic foreign exchange hedging operations.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 7.1 basis points to 3.540%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 0.7 basis point to 3.843%.

($1 = 1,495.0900 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)

 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))